Americas

In SANTIAGO DE LAS VEGAS

Two Caribbean players ended the Pan American men's junior hockey championship with hat-tricks that helped their sides win their last matches yesterday.

Paul Franklin helped Barbados turn back the challenge of traditional sporting rivals Trinidad and Tobago 4-1 to clinch seventh place, and Nicholas Beach was the marksman that allowed Jamaica to earn their second win of the competition and ninth place with a 5-0 dismissal of Puerto Rico.

Franklin made T&T pay for some indisciplined hockey, after Barry Clarke had given the two-island republic the lead in the ninth minute.

The first two goals for the Barbadian sniper came from penalty stroke conversions and he slapped in a penalty corner in the final minute to seal the victory for his side.

In between, Paul Harding ran in a 32nd minute field goal that had put Barbados ahead 2-0 at halftime, a lead they would not relinquish in the second period.

The two playoffs had followed the semifinals in which Chile beat the United States 3-2 in extra time to set up the Final against favourites Argentina, who crushed Mexico 5-0.

Geographical neighbours Mexico and the United States will contest the bronze medal match, while the fixture for fifth and sixth place between hosts Cuba and Canada will precede this.

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